Wall Street Futures Fall Amid Earnings, U.S. Tariff Uncertainty

U.S. stock futures edged lower Tuesday as investors prepared for a busy day of earnings reports and grappled with ongoing uncertainties around President Donald Trump's shifting tariff policies and stalled trade negotiations with key partners like the European Union and India. Despite these concerns, resilient economic indicators and positive earnings surprises have kept major indexes near record highs, with analysts projecting a 6.7% increase in second-quarter profits for S&P 500 companies, led by Big Tech firms such as Alphabet and Tesla. Significant earnings reports expected include defense companies RTX and Lockheed Martin, as well as consumer giants Coca-Cola and Philip Morris International, while automakers like General Motors have reported profit declines attributed to tariff impacts, causing share price drops. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized prioritizing quality over speed in trade deals, downplaying urgency to meet the August 1 tariff deadline. Market watchers also anticipate a speech from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for potential insights into monetary policy amid this earnings season. Overall, while cautious trading prevails due to tariff and trade uncertainties, the bull market appears intact with volatility seen as an entry opportunity.